How does it feel to be in a one-sided relationship? 

Often the one who was the most emotionally implicated gets hurt. Why does this keep happening? Maybe it’s the lack of emotional maturity or the fact that some people cannot face their mistakes. But this is a topic to discuss another time. In today’s article, we will talk about one-sided relationships and how badly they affect us.

The most challenging part is often realizing deep down that you are in a one-sided relationship. However, the most difficult thing to do is to acknowledge it and take appropriate action. So let’s identify together the signs of no reciprocity in a relationship, and then decide if it’s worth it anymore or not…

There is no emotional support from your partner

Sometimes we go through some unfortunate events, and all we need is, at the end of the day, a shoulder to cry on and a person we can rely on for emotional support. Of course, if we’re in a relationship, we expect that from our partner. But in a one-sided relationship, this emotional support feels like a lost train that will never come back.

Your partner is never available for you to talk to; they don’t try to comfort you through hugs or kind words. They are always too “busy” to listen to your complaints, and they never try to cheer you up. If this is happening in your relationship too, it might be the time to ask yourself some questions and see if it’s time to move on.

Lack of intimacy

One of the worst red flags in a one-sided relationship is the lack of physical touch and intimacy, which usually go hand in hand. It’s true that sometimes, after a busy day, all we need is to go home and unwind with a TV show or a book. But if your partner keeps pushing you away every time you crave some intimacy and affection, it might be because they don’t reciprocate the feelings or they don’t find you attractive anymore.

Furthermore, be aware that intimacy doesn’t mean only physical touch. Intimacy is also how deeply you manage to be vulnerable and open in front of your partner about various topics. Step aside a bit and observe how intimacy and effort are going on if you’re not the one who initiates it.

All the relationship issues or conflicts are ignored

Being in a one-sided relationship might make you feel like you’re arguing on your own and also looking to solve issues on your own. This is sad and disappointing because a relationship consists of two adults who should know how to address their issues and try to strengthen the bond.

Yet, some people are afraid of conflict because they think it can disrupt the relationship, but being silent while there are things to solve won’t do any good.  If you’re always the one who brings up the issues over and over again while your partner rolls their eyes in the background, then it might be a huge red flag.

You’re constantly worried the relationship will fall apart

A common concern among those in one-sided relationships is that their spouse may choose to end the relationship. But this fear might mean that in the back of your mind, you’re already thinking about ending it because it doesn’t bring you the happiness you want.

You’re right to want both certainty and trust in your relationship, and if you don’t feel like you have either, it’s time to ask your significant other to have an important discussion. If you are both willing to communicate, perhaps you can still work things out.

Do you feel that no matter what you do, your partner simply won’t open up? Try this relationship workbook if therapy isn’t an option. It’s intended to support rekindling your relationship and encouraging genuine communication. You never know; it may be the secret to accepting each other’s vulnerability. Now available for $15.51 on Amazon.

There are more bad moments than happy ones

Every relationship has happy and sad moments. But it’s important to pay attention in case the bad ones outweigh the good ones. Many people in one-sided relationships convince themselves that things will eventually improve with time and that happier moments will become more frequent.

Avoid falling into this trap and try to objectively evaluate your relationship.

You’re actively trying to change your partner

This needs to stop because it is a huge mistake. Trying to change the person with whom you’re in a relationship is wrong from all points of view. It is a hard pill to swallow, but the desire to change the one you love is called manipulation.

While it may hurt to see your relationship fall apart because you’re not on the same level, it’s better to accept that you’re both two different people with different characters and your styles of attachment may not be compatible.

Your needs are never fulfilled

We all crave something: physical touch, some nice words at the end of the day, or a little bit of help with day-to-day chores. But yours are barely fulfilled by your partner and that’s because they don’t know what you want or they don’t really care about them.

Make an effort to be more receptive to talking about your most important needs. Tell your partner about them clearly and ask them to share theirs with you as well.

Your partner doesn’t know you

Now that’s huge! Especially if you both are living under the same roof and have been in a relationship for quite some time. When you live with somebody, you start to know them at a deeper level. You know what their hobbies are, what music they listen to, or what their favorite food is. But it is also what they dislike the most.

No matter how long you have been with them, your significant other has never truly bothered to get to know the real you. They have no idea about your preferences, dislikes, past, or anything else for that matter, even though you know them well.

You are starting to wonder about your worth

When your partner fails to put much effort into the relationship, it might seem like a hit to your self-worth. This is also known as emotional abuse, which leads to low self-esteem. However, keep in mind that this is your partner’s decision, not a reflection of your value.

They always fall back on keeping their word

This is probably one of the red flags of a one-sided relationship that screams, “Move on; you deserve better!”. Even when the other person says the right thing, they don’t always follow through. They nearly always break their promises and don’t carry out the plans you’ve set together. This will continue to happen to the point that you no longer trust half of what they say.

Your outside life doesn’t seem interesting to them

If at the beginning you were both super excited to exchange stuff about yourselves, after some time your partner doesn’t seem so keen on knowing what you’re up to when you’re not together. This may indicate they no longer care about your life, and if you don’t share things, they don’t bother to ask anymore.

Asking them how their day went and what they did at the end of the day will show that you are interested in maintaining the relationship. In this way, you can avoid appearing foolish or controlling by showing genuine interest and curiosity in their interests and activities.

We talked about emotional unavailability at the beginning of the article, go check the signs of an emotionally unavailable by reading this Is Your Partner Emotionally Unavailable? 7 Key Signs.